


Wasted Times

by Agent17



Series: Broken [2]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Angst, Dog K-2SO, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Found Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 20:16:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19775626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agent17/pseuds/Agent17
Summary: When it comes time for Cassian to meet Bodhi's parents, he can't understand what has him so worried. Things were supposed to be better, weren't they?





	Wasted Times

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from the song Wasted Times by Vance Joy

“You sure about this, Bo?” Cassian asked for the fifth time, gently brushing at his fiance's hair.

Bodhi nodded his head. “I've already said yes. I'll tell you to stop if I need you to.”

Cassian kissed him before pulling back. He sat up to kneel over his chest, fingers tracing lightly over Bodhi's lips. “Hands?” he asked, voice quiet. Bodhi held up his hands, letting Cassian place his right hand on his thigh before he pinned his left to the pillows above his head. “If you let go I'm stopping.”

Bodhi squeezed Cassian's leg as tight as he could. “Then I better not let go.”

Cassian scowled at him before leaning down for one last kiss. “Quit being a smartass.”

Bodhi was kept from responding as Cassian rose up, his erection brushing against his lips. Bodhi opened his mouth, eyelashes fluttering closed as Cassian slowly pushed in.

Above him Cassian moaned, shuddering as Bodhi sucked at him. He pushed forward gently, thrusts slow and measured as Bodhi worked at him, lips sealed tight.

“Fuck,” Cassian breathed. His hips jerked as Bodhi hummed around him, driving himself deeper into Bodhi's mouth. He brushed against the back of his throat, momentarily panicking as Bodhi gagged. “Shit!” He started to pull out.

Bodhi dug his finger harder into Cassian's leg, chasing him with his mouth and sucking for all he was worth. Cassian froze above him, leg trembling under Bodhi's fingers.

“You sure?” he whispered.

Bodhi squeezed again and wiggled his left hand. He sighed when Cassian entwined their fingers. He slowly thrust forward again; Bodhi relaxed his throat as much as he could. This time Cassian didn't stop, driving forward carefully until his whole body started to shake.

“Bo, I'm close...”

Bodhi dug his nails into his leg, clamping down tight enough for Cassian to cry out. He came with an unidentifiable sound as his hips moved forward, once, twice more before pulling back with a gasp. His hair was sticking to his face, sweat dampened as he pulled out, eyes wide. His breaths were coming in ragged gasps as he searched Bodhi's heavily lidded face. He released his hand, making Bodhi whine as he touched his swollen lips, other hand snaking down to finish Bodhi off in a couple of pulls. His muscles were shaking as he leaned down for a kiss, not even minding the taste of his own release as he tried to convey without words just how he felt. Bodhi's arms wrapped tight around him, kissing back just as fiercely as he rubbed Cassian's back, hands drifting over his ass and the backs of his thighs.

He giggled softly as Cassian finally pulled away to drop face down against the bed, body practically boneless. He rolled to lay alongside him, kissing at his shoulder blades and neck. “Good?” he asked as Cassian peeked at him from under his hair, one eye barely open.

“The fuck do you think?” Cassian groaned and rolled onto his back, pulling Bodhi tight against his chest. “How are you so good at that?”

Bodhi grinned brightly. “You said the same thing the first time we did that. Flattery gets you another round at the time of your choosing.”

Cassian pushed him away, rolling his eyes as Bodhi laughed hysterically. “You're not as funny as you think.”

Bodhi was still giggling as he settled onto his back, snuggling close to rest his head against Cassian's shoulder. “I love you, Cass.”

“Love you too, Bo.” Cassian reached for his hand. “Thank you.”

Bodhi hummed, eyes drifting shut. “Might have left bruises on your leg. Sorry.”

Cassian smiled gently and turned to kiss his hair. “You can make it up to me later.”

“I've heard I give amazing blowjobs,” Bodhi mumbled sleepily.

Cassian snorted and squeezed his hand. “Go to sleep.”

Bodhi rubbed his thumb over Cassian's hand as he fell asleep.

Cassian turned onto his side to watch him, eyes lingering over his long lashes; he tried to commit to memory the shape of his cheekbones; the curve of his lips where they were gently parted as he breathed out some unheard word; the stubble that colored his cheeks, still slightly flushed. He brushed the hair back from his ear, kissing the shell of it as he whispered, “thank you for being so perfect.”

* * *

Bodhi woke up later than normal the next day. Rubbing at his eyes, he yawned as he turned to find Cassian gone. Frowning, he sat up and patted at his face, trying to fully wake up. He swung his legs off the bed, searching for anything he could put on before stumbling out into the kitchen.

From his spot by the door, Kay woofed and jumped up, coming over to wiggle his body as close as he could get to Bodhi, tail thumping against his legs. “What are you up to?” Bodhi asked, suspicious.

Cassian laughed, pulling his head out of the fridge. “He's just mad that I won't give him any of the meat for the omelettes.”

Kay looked up at him with hopeful eyes, ears perked up.

“Ah. So you think I'll cave in, huh? Trying to guilt trip me? It might be working.”

“Don't let him win,” Cassian warned, shaking his head. His stern words were ruined by his smile. “Baze already spoils him entirely too much. I'm surprised he's not overweight yet.”

Bodhi ruffled his ears. Kay, sensing that food was not forthcoming, sighed and returned to his spot, blocking their way out of the apartment. Bodhi snorted at him, amused, as he moved closer to Cassian. “You're up early today. You're never up before me.”

“Hey, that's not true. I've beaten you a few times.” Cassian shrugged and started grating cheese. “I just felt like making breakfast today.”

“Well, you know that I love it when you do.” Bodhi leaned in for a kiss, snuggling against his side after. “Can I help with anything.”

“Just relax. I've got this.”

Bodhi watched him prepping things, a sly smile forming on his face. “Is this a thank you for last night?”

Cassian cursed in Spanish as his knife slipped on the cutting board. He turned to glare at Bodhi, who was giggling helplessly leaning against the sink. Huffing, Cassian turned back to the counter. “You need to shut up if you want real food. I'm trying to do something nice here, not that it's being appreciated. I could just let you eat cold cereal again.”

Bodhi started laughing. He wrapped his arms around Cassian's waist, hugging him close. “Fine. I'll stop teasing you. Poor Cass. I'm being so mean to you right now.”

Cassian turned for a quick peck before picking up the knife again. “Be glad that I love you. Now, what do you want in yours? There's chicken sausage, shredded beef. I think we have some tofu left.”

“Why'd we even buy the tofu?” Bodhi asked, moving to start the coffee.

“I don't know. Maybe it was on sale or something.”

“Sausage please. It's just chicken, right?”

“Chicken and apples, with a few spices. Baze knows a guy.”

“Baze knows everyone.”

Cassian nodded in agreement. He returned the beef to the fridge, quickly cutting the sausage out of it's casing and crumbling it into the pan. “Makes finding the good food easier. And before you ask, no, it's not a pork based casing. I triple checked.”

Bodhi grinned at him. “I trust you. I know you'd never be mean enough to do that. Same thing with alcohol. You've never once tried to get me to drink either.”

“You told me you don't like pork and that alcohol interferes with your medications. I'd never try to make you eat something if you tell me you can't.”

“Which is just one of the reasons why I love you.” Bodhi had filled two cups and settled at the table by the time Cassian was done. He looked up from his phone with a smile as Cassian sat across from him. “Jyn sent a text. She wants to meet up for lunch today. You're invited.”

“She going to be her usual charming self?”

“It's Jyn. It means she's probably going to drink too much and swear a lot.”

“Sounds good. Where are we going?”

Bodhi rolled his eyes as he texted back. Her reply took a bit to come through, the typing symbol popping up and disappearing a few times before she answered. “Looks like she was thinking the wharf area or Chinatown. She said there was a new place that Chirrut mentioned that makes amazing desserts if we feel adventurous. She's also promising to buy me as much chocolate as I can carry. Oh my, she must be trying to butter me up.”

Cassian frowned. “For what?”

“That's what I'm trying to find out.” Bodhi sighed. “This is going to be interesting. Still want to come?”

“And leave you to the wolves? I'm coming. I'm a bit curious myself.”

“No, you're anxious, you just don't want to show it.” Bodhi smiled brightly. “I'm sure it's nothing. It's just Jyn being Jyn.”

Cassian smiled but didn't believe him.

* * *

They agreed to meet around two at the cafe recommended by Chirrut. They arrived before Jyn as usual and wandered through the square in the center of the building complex waiting for her; they spent their time cruising the stalls at the farmers market that had popped up. Bodhi was flipping through a stack of books piled high on a table, showing an art book to Cassian when Jyn came rushing up, looking frazzled and annoyed. Kay huffed at her from between Cassian's legs, angling his body to pull him closer to Bodhi.

“Nice to see you too mutt. You two ready?”

Cassian raised an eyebrow at her. “Good afternoon to you too.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes and set the book down. “Something bothering you, sis?”

“Why not at all, darling brother.”

“Uh huh.” Bodhi shared a meaningful look with Cassian. “Then let's go eat and you can hit me with whatever you're hiding.” Jyn scowled at him. Bodhi started laughing. “I know you want something Jyn, I just don't know what it is. So let's go in, order food, you can buy me something with an insane amount of chocolate in it, and ask your question.”

She stood pouting for a moment. “Am I really that predictable?”

“Ever since tenth year.”

It was Jyn's turn to roll her eyes and lead them toward the restaurant. The waiter had eyed Kay dubiously before sniffing and stalking off, head tilted away from them. He returned shortly to drop waters at their table before rushing away without inquiring if they needed anything else.

“Service is pretty lacking,” Cassian commented, reaching down to rub Kay's head. From his place tucked under Cassian's chair, Kay whined softly before licking his hand, turning to rest his head on Bodhi's foot.

Jyn smiled, her face twisting in the grin that Cassian could only ever describe as the predatory leer a serial killer gave their latest victim. “Baze knows the owner. I'm essentially mystery shopping for him today. Apparently, there have been some bad reviews lately and he's paying us to find out why. They've already evaluated the dinner aspect, which is why we're here for lunch. Gentlemen, we're in for a fun time. Order anything you want, it's already paid for.”

“Is that the only reason you brought us here?” Bodhi asked, goading her.

Jyn sighed. “I'll tell you soon. After we order.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes to stare at the ceiling, menu clutched tight in his grip. He wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue when Cassian snorted.

Jyn finally flagged down a passing busboy to ask if it would be possible to find their waiter so they could order. “It's been twenty minutes and I'd really like a drink.” The busboy paled and stammered a reply before rushing off. Jyn rested her fingertips on the closed menu, a cold smile on her face as the waiter finally arrived, order pad in hand.

“I guess you three are finally ready?”

Jyn's smile grew even darker. She leaned back in her chair, right leg crossed over her knee. “Yes, thank you for your concern. I'd like to start with the house red, two glasses,” she said, pointing to herself and Cassian. “For a starter, I want a plate of the fresh hummus trio, the roasted Brussels sprouts, and the roasted endives. With the Brussels sprouts, make sure they aren't cooked in any kind of pork product. I heard they can roast them in olive oil with garlic instead of bacon, so please make sure that's what they use. This is very important. For my entree, I'd like the beef wellington, gravy on the side.”

“We aren't serving the wellington today,” the waiter said, giving her a tight little smile.

Jyn casually pointed toward the sign board by the door. “Is today not a Sunday? I believe you only serve it on weekends. Or am I reading that board wrong?”

The waiter sniffed again and scribbled it down, turning toward Cassian.

Cassian glanced over the menu again before carefully closing it. “I'll have the lamb chops with mint and roasted garlic. Medium rare please.”

The waiter turned to Bodhi, who was biting his lip. “Um, what's the difference between the grilled chicken breast and the sauteed lamb?”

“One's chicken and one's lamb.”

Jyn leaned back farther in her chair, her teeth now showing through her smile.

Cassian sighed and leaned closer, hand on Bodhi's leg as he glanced at his choices. “Do either dish use alcohol?”

The waiter frowned. “I'm not the chef, so I don't know.” Cassian frowned at him and studied the descriptions. He pointed to the chicken. “That one's probably the safer bet.”

Bodhi smiled at him and order the chicken. “With extra lemon please.”

“Anything to drink?”

“Hot tea, please.”

The waiter turned and walked off, nose in the air.

Cassian's eyebrows couldn't have risen any higher. “And Chirrut likes this place why?”

Jyn was twirling her fork through her fingers. “The food is phenomenal. For the price, this is some of the fanciest food you can get outside of a luxury restaurant. Plus, no one likes to fuck with rude waiters more than Chirrut.”

“Except you,” Bodhi said, hand wrapping around Cassian's. “I'm glad you enjoy spit in your food because I don't.”

“That only happened once and it was ages ago in London, so I don't know what you're complaining about.”

Bodhi was spared answering by the arrival of their appetizers. Jyn gestured toward the food. “Get started and tell me your honest opinions.”

“Let me try this first,” Cassian said, reaching for one of the sprouts. Jyn was already chewing one, face expressionless.

“Don't eat those Bo. They definitely cooked them in pork fat.” Cassian nodded in agreement with her.

Bodhi's face fell slightly before he shrugged and reached for the hummus and pita pieces. “More of this for me then.”

When the waiter returned with their drinks, Jyn held up a finger to keep him from rushing off. “Excuse me. I asked for the non-pork version of these,” she said, gesturing toward the offending dish. “My brother can't eat them. Can we please get a new plate?”

The waiter eyed Bodhi suspiciously. “You Muslim or something?”

Jyn crossed her arms over her chest. “He has a food allergy, so unless you want to personally pay for his medical bills, I'd suggest you fix this. There is also a million reasons for people to order food certain ways. If there is going to be a problem, I can always call up Mr. Klass. I'm sure he'd like to know there were problems on his day off.”

The waiter's face paled. “You know the executive chef?”

“He used to work for me at Star's Glow. So, can we get this fixed? Please?”

The waiter grabbed the plate and ran for the back.

Jyn gave them a victorious smile. “And I win. I knew he was judging us when we walked in.” She ran her hand down her torn jeans and picked up her wine glass.

Cassian was shaking his head and resumed eating. “They were pretty good. I think you found the problem though.”

“Alright Jyn, you have food, you have wine, you've terrorized some poor college student, very deservedly I might add. Now will you tell me the real reason you wanted to meet up for lunch,” Bodhi asked, picking through the basket of tea bags that had been brought with his hot water.

“Can it wait for dessert?” Jyn asked, hopeful.

“It cannot.”

Jyn groaned. “Fine...I got a phone call from mum and dad.”

“And?” Bodhi prompted, shoulders tensing up.

“And they're coming next week to visit and they want to have dinner with us—both of us—and they said that you can't skip out on it again.”

“I never skipped out on the last one. Krennic scheduled an out of state meeting that I had to attend.”

“Yes, well, they want you there. Dad apparently called Krennic up and told him what days he's visiting and asked if you could have those days off. You're only required, as of now, to attend the one dinner, on Thursday. Dad and Krennic are supposed to go golfing or some shit the next day, then they're flying to Los Angeles on Saturday. Oh, and mum is pretty mad that she never got to meet Cassian before you got engaged, so she wants him there too.”

“The only reason she has yet to meet Cass is because they've been too busy to visit and I'm not flying to Houston just so they can nitpick my love life. Again.” Bodhi viciously stabbed at his tea bag with a spoon, holding it below the water like he wished to drown it.

“I told them that, but you know how they are.” Jyn downed her glass and turned to Cassian. “Mum and dad are...interesting. They're....free spirits.”

“Meaning mum is nosy and dad oblivious.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow and watched the siblings glare at each other. Jyn broke first.

“He's not completely wrong, though he's explaining it rather poorly. Both are very intent with their careers. They both work for some research company. Dad's been developing new types of fuel and energy production for extraterrestrial colonies. Mum analyzes soil samples for crop cultivation, or something like that. I don't really listen when they talk. They tend to forget that not everyone understands technical jargon, or even cares. And for the most part, they left us alone growing up, so long as we went to school and didn't kill anyone. They made sure we had food and clothes and gave us free range.”

She paused as their food was dropped off by the suddenly nervous and overly friendly waiter. “Can I bring you three anything else? Maybe a complimentary dessert?”

“I'd like to see a menu if you have one. I've heard from a friend that you have an amazing souffle.”

The waiter clasped his hands, gushing enthusiastically. “It's to die for! Would you like me to put in an order for you? They make it by scratch daily so it can take a while.”

“Yes please, that would be lovely. And I'd still like to see the menu. Also, another glass.”

“Of course! And you sir?”

Cassian shook his head. “I'm good, thank you.”

Jyn rolled her eyes as the waiter walked away. “I feel like bringing mum here and letting her have fun with him.”

“I take it your charming personality comes from her?” Cassian asked, sampling his food.

“Her lack of tact and boundaries certainly does,” Bodhi muttered.

“Boundaries, yes. Tact, no. That is all dad.” Jyn started giggling at Bodhi's put-upon expression. “Why do you think I never brought home any dates growing up?” At Cassian's puzzled expression, she elaborated. “Bodhi never did learn that mum and dad had no sense of shame. What did they do, scare off three boyfriends of yours?”

“Two,” Bodhi muttered. “The third never even made it through the door.” He sighed when he caught sight of Jyn's smile and covered his face. “I know what story you're thinking of. Just spit it out and get it over with.”

“After we moved to America, in high school, dad walked in on Bodhi and his boyfriend in a compromising position.”

“He had his hands inside my boxers—”

“While a bottle of lube was on the bed,” Jyn added, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

“We were still mostly dressed,” Bodhi groaned, blushing brightly behind his hands. Cassian felt Kay climb to his feet and move to settle his head on Bodhi's knee, whining softly.

“He had his finger up your ass.” Jyn paused as she saw her wine approaching, continuing once they were alone again. “Dad had been working on a big project, and normally he tended to forget anyone else existed, but for some reason he decided to ask Bodhi something and just walked in without knocking.” She was fighting back giggles, waving her hand helplessly around. “Bodhi freaked out. Boy-toy practically pushed him off the bed in his haste to run out of the room. Didn't he forget his wallet or something? Anyways, it took dad way longer than it should have to realize what had happened and even after he did, he merely said that there was nothing wrong with expressing your love.”

Bodhi lowered his hands and glared at her. “And you stood in the hall laughing the whole time.”

“It got worse after mom got home.”

“No. No more.” Bodhi pointed at her, eyes hard. “We're done talking about my embarrassing personal life in public.”

“But Cassian needs to know the rest,” Jyn complained.

“And I'll tell him. Later. Can we please just eat in peace?”

Jyn rolled her eyes. “Fine. But you need to prepare him. He's the only boyfriend I'm going to approve of for you.”

Bodhi scratched at Kay's neck, face still flushed. He picked up his fork, frowning. “Where are we going?”

“I planned to have it at my place. Dad won't notice anyway and mum won't care. Baze said he'd make some stuff that I can just reheat. Saves on time and money.”

“Fine. What time?”

“Seven. Remind me to stock up on booze this week.”

Bodhi turned to Cassian. “I'll fill you in on more later. You okay with meeting my crazy family?”

“If I can tolerate Jyn, I think I can handle anything,” he said, taking Bodhi's hand and running his finger across his engagement ring. He was happy when Bodhi smiled, tense shoulders dropping noticeably.

Jyn raised her glass to salute him. “Just don't show the enemy any weaknesses Andor and you'll be fine.”

“Jyn. It's not going to be a battle,” Bodhi said, scowling at her. She grinned and gestured for the waiter to come over.

Cassian settled back in his chair, feeling the tension in his shoulders growing. He knew he'd have to wait until later that night to talk to Bodhi. For now, he listened to the two arguing about petty things and wondered why Bodhi seemed so reluctant about this. Kay settled between the two of them, nosing at Cassian's knee. He slowly picked up his fork again and resumed eating.

* * *

After a dessert which consisted of the souffle and a tiramisu that Cassian admitted was almost as good as Baze's, Jyn dragged them towards Ghirardelli, intending to buy Bodhi his promised chocolate (“I want my body weight worth for embarrassing me earlier, do you hear me?” he had argued as they walked down the street.); Cassian held on tight to his hand, rubbing his thumb softly across his ring. Bodhi gave him a dazzling smile, waiting until Jyn was paying to lean in close and kiss his cheek. He knew his answering smile must have been strained when Bodhi's expression dropped from carefree to concerned.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “Did I upset you?”

Cassian shook his head. “No no, I'm fine. You didn't do anything. I just...can we talk later? I, ah, I have....”

Bodhi nodded his head. “Yes. We can talk. Do you want to just go home?”

“No. Let's stay out for a bit. And I never want to hear you ask if you did something wrong again. We talked about that.”

Bodhi laughed nervously, ducking his head. “I know. Sorry, I'm working on that.”

Before he could respond, Jyn walked up with the largest bag Cassian had ever seen. “Did you leave any chocolate for the other customers?”

“Ha ha, Andor. Fuck off.” She frowned at them. “What's wrong with you two?”

“Nothing,” Bodhi said, forcing his tone to be cheerful. “Did you want to do anything else today?”

“Probably not. I'm supposed to have a date tonight with someone Leia set me up with so I should probably go home and get ready.” She grabbed Bodhi's arm as they left the store, pulling him close. “You better show up Thursday.”

“I said I would.”

Jyn nodded and hugged him close. “I'm sorry if I caused a problem,” she whispered in his ear.

Bodhi laughed softly. “It's okay. We'll talk things over. I'm not worried.” He held up his hand, smiling at the ring shining on his finger. “I think we're getting better at talking about important things.”

“Just make sure you prepare him for mum and dad. Don't let them scare him off.”

“So you do like Cassian,” Bodhi teased.

“I tolerate him. Thursday. No excuses.”

Bodhi waved to her as she hurried off. He turned back toward Cassian with a nervous smile on his face. “Where do you want to go?”

Cassian reached for his hand, pointing across the street. “Want to walk around the park for a bit?”

Bodhi leaned in for a quick kiss. Let's go.”

* * *

They walked around for a bit, letting Kay run around and burn off some energy before returning to the car. Bodhi suggested looking for a movie to watch to avoid the tourists crowding the streets.

“Is there anything we wanted to see?” Cassian asked, rolling his shoulders to crack his neck.

Bodhi scrolled through his phone. “Not really.” He sighed. “Want to just pick up some food and go home.”

Cassian glanced at him. “We could get dumplings if you want.”

Bodhi squirmed in his seat, huffing softly. “Sure. And then we'll have to talk about...everything.” He rubbed his forehead. “God, this is going to be embarrassing.”

Cassian navigated towards the Chinatown area. “You met my mom. I'm sure your parents aren't any worse.”

“Your mom was an angel. My parents—okay, they're not 'bad', just....”

“Over food, then,” Cassian suggested. “Take your time.”

“I love you,” Bodhi said.

“Love you too, but you're still going to have to talk at some point.” Cassian started laughing at the frustrated noise Bodhi made.

The sun was setting when they found parking. Kay grumbled at him for taking too long putting on his leash, shaking himself violently once he was out of the car. “I think he hates cars as much as you,” Cassian teased Bodhi.

“I at least have an excuse. And I don't hate them, they just make me uncomfortable,” Bodhi said, leaning against Cassian's side. “Where were you thinking of going?”

“It'd be a bit of a walk, but Wong's is usually not too crowded on the weekends.”

“I love their chicken. Do they still hand make their noodles?”

“They do. Come on.” Cassian whistled to Kay and started down the street. True to his word, once they finally reached the restaurant, they found only a few tables occupied.

“Hey Cassian! Bodhi! Welcome back!” the waiter called, pointing toward the tables. “Anywhere you want, I'll be there soon.”

“Thanks James.” Cassian moved toward a table on the far side, settling in where he could see the door. Kay circled under the table and settled down, laying on Bodhi's feet.

“Your dog is trying to keep me from getting up.”

“He's waiting for you to start talking,” Cassian gently teased.

Bodhi frowned, looking away.

“Hey.” Cassian reached for his face, gently brushing his fingers along his cheek. “You don't have to say anything. I was just teasing you.”

Bodhi smiled and squeezed his hand. “I know. But I do have to say something I should have said a long time ago. I just didn't want to scare you off.”

Cassian tapped his ring, eyes bright. “I'm not going anywhere.”

Bodhi's face lit up and leaned forward for a kiss. “I trust you.”

Cassian pulled away reluctantly as James came hurrying over, tea and water glasses balanced on a tray. “Sorry about the wait. Table five took forever to decide. So, how you two been? Haven't seen you guys lately.”

“You're usually off when we come in,” Bodhi said. “How's school?”

“Horrible,” James said, cheerfully. “Mom's pissed that I might flunk math. She's like 'you work in a place where you deal with cash all day, what is wrong with you.' So I told her that I that trigonometry is a bit different which made her mad. Besides, I'm a history major. It's not like it'll matter. But I hear congratulations are in order. Ashly told me you two got engaged. I'm happy for you guys.”

“Thank you,” Bodhi said blushing.

“Anyways, what can I get you? The usual?”

Cassian nodded. “Can we also add the steamed bao.”

“Chicken only?” James asked, writing it down as Cassian nodded. “You got it. Hey, any idea if Baze is going to make those madellines this weekend? Mom loves them and we wanted to get some for her birthday.”

“What flavors? I can ask him to make a batch.”

“Dude, you're the best. Pumpkin and matcha if you can.”

Bodhi giggled as he walked away. “You just made his day.”

“Yeah, well, he gives us discounts. Besides, I like his family.” Cassian took the tea cup that Bodhi handed him, sipping at it slowly.

Bodhi bit at his lip as he set the pot down. “Okay. I know I've told you some of this before. You know that my parents—my real parents—died when I was eleven and that Galen and Lyra adopted me. Well, kind of adopted me. They were the legal guardians my parents named in their wills.”

“Your parents died in a car crash, didn't they?”

“I think so.” Bodhi shrugged. “At least that's what I was told when I woke up in the hospital. I don't remember anything from before that. Not even them. I know I'm supposed to miss them, and I do! Don't get me wrong. But I think it's more of the idea that they were my parents and that means I'm supposed to miss them. I don't know. Anyway, the Ersos took me in and made sure I would always have a family. I think there was an adoption notice that went out, but a lot of those years are pretty fuzzy and I never really asked. We as a family don't talk about it much. All I know is that they treat me like their son and I'm grateful for that. They've been beyond amazing for that.” He paused, fingers bridged over his nose.

“Both of them are researchers. They've worked with some major science organizations around the world for years. They're usually pretty busy, and because of that, Jyn and I usually were on our own growing up. Not that they were bad parents. They definitely loved us and made sure we had everything we needed. It's just that they could be....gah!” He blew out a frustrated breath.

“Maybe tell me more about that story from before. Jyn seemed to think it was a good example of why you never talk about them,” Cassian suggested as their food arrived. Bodhi whined and squirmed in his seat as Cassian started dishing up the food before nodding.

“Okay. Fine. Might as well get the embarrassment out of the way. So you know that dad walked in on me and my soon to be ex-boyfriend. And yes, he did have a finger up my ass. And yes, dad didn't realize what was happening until he had run out of my room, after shoving me off the bed like the jerk he turned out to be. And like Jyn said,” Bodhi mumbled, blushing as he poked at his food, “he didn't really react at the moment. He just kind of blinked before asking if that was one of the times when he should have knocked.” Bodhi threw a dumpling at Cassian as he began to laugh. “Jerk. And no, that wasn't the worst part. He must have told mom that he thought I was mad at him, which, I mean, I kind of was. But—he and mom came into my room later and—oh, I don't want to say it!”

“Just get it over with,” Cassian said, trying hard to hide his laughter. “It's like ripping a bandage off, it gets worse before it gets better.”

“Oh, this definitely gets worse,” Bodhi mumbled before clearing his throat. “Mum and dad knew about me being gay. I never felt like it was something I needed to hide, so I didn't. Got a lot of crap for it at school, but they were always very supportive. Anyway. They came up to my room and asked to talk to me. They then proceeded to tell me that exploring my sexuality was a normal part of growing up and that I had no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed.” He cringed, covering his eyes as he said, “and then I had to listen to my father talk about how good pegging felt while my mother told me she would buy me better lube. 'None of this crap they sell at the box stores.' And the whole time they were talking, Jyn's in the hallway losing it. And to make it worse, when I went to school the next day Sam wouldn't even talk to me. It's like I didn't exist. So, embarrassment for nothing.”

He cleared his throat and peeked at Cassian, who was biting his lip to keep from smiling. “The point is, that was only the first time they drove someone away. They have no boundaries and no filters and Lyra especially gets very overprotective. They've never approved of anyone I've dated and it only got worse after the whole Todd thing.”

“I didn't approve of Todd,” Cassian said darkly, anger rising as he remembered Bodhi turning up at the coffee shop all those years before with a black eye.

Bodhi reached for his hand, smiling softly. “Yes, well, that's in the past because now I have you and things are exactly as they should be. I wanted you to meet them, but they hardly ever come up here and I refuse to take you out of state for them to essentially attack you. I love you and don't want you to have to deal with that.”

“Eventually I'd have had to. They do know we're engaged, right?”

“They do. And they're going to be even worse than normal because of it.”

Cassian squeezed his hand. “It'll be fine. I'm not worried. I'll fight for your hand with honor.”

“You really are perfect.”

Cassian ducked his head. “Most of that's because of you,” he whispered.

They ate in silence for a while, passing dishes back and forth. After paying, they walked back to the car, Bodhi leaning against Cassian with their arms linked. Cassian kissed the top of his head, leaning closer to whisper “did your dad really go into detail about pegging?”

Bodhi sighed. “He did. Quite graphically. It was mortifying. The only thing worse was when they gave me a vibrator for my eighteenth birthday and proceeded to tell me it was my father's favorite brand.” He gave Cassian an indignant look as he cracked up, laughing hard enough that he had to stop walking. “Oh, I'm so glad you find my horrifying teenage years to be so amusing.”

“My mom was a nurse. Believe me, I've got some pretty bad stories myself. At least she never gifted me with sex toys though.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes and pushed gently at him. “I hate you,” he said, without any real heat. He countered it by hugging Cassian close. “Just promise me that whatever happens, you'll at least give me the chance to talk to you after. Please?”

“I'm not going anywhere Bodhi. I promise.”

Bodhi sighed and nodded his head. “Okay.”

“Come on, let's go home. We can get some ice cream on the way. You look like you need it.”

* * *

Cassian told himself that it was stupid to worry about meeting the Erso's, though as the week wore on and Bodhi became more withdrawn he found himself on edge more often than he had been in a while. Kay was rather disgruntled as well, alternating between gluing himself to Cassian and Bodhi's sides.

Cassian watched Bodhi closely. The circles under his eyes were growing with each passing day. Twice he had forgotten his keys and once his phone; Cassian had been frantic when he hadn't heard from Bodhi, driving home when he checked it's location to find him sitting on the stairs in the cold evening. Bodhi had started to apologize, stammering about how he couldn't remember Cassian's number, but Cassian wasn't listening. He had pulled him into a tight hug, holding him as close as he could. He had kissed away his tears, shushing his whispered sorry and pulled him inside. He urged him toward a hot shower and had met him after with a cup of hot chocolate. That night neither of them found it easy to fall asleep, Bodhi restlessly turning until Cassian pulled him close.

Cassian traced his finger over Bodhi's cheekbone, listening to him sigh in the dark. “Bodhi?” he asked softly, quiet enough to not disturb him if he had finally fallen asleep.

“Sorry. Did I wake you? I didn't mean to. I can go lay on the couch.”

“Wasn't asleep.” Cassian hesitated, unsure how to bring up his thoughts. “Are you okay? You seem....” Bodhi tucked his head under Cassian's chin, arms wrapping tight around his body. Cassian closed his eyes, rolling the words over in his head carefully. “If it's about tomorrow, I don't have to go. Not if you don't want me to.”

Bodhi shook his head frantically, pulling back slightly so that he could gaze at Cassian in the darkness of the room. “No, no I—I want you to meet them. I need you to. It's just—I'm scared.”

“Of what?”

Bodhi let the silence drag out before leaning his head against Cassian's chest. “That you'll hate me.”

Cassian pulled away and reached for the bedside lamp. He sat up, face blank as he studied Bodhi laying there with his eyes squeezed shut. He gently brushed a tear forming in the corner of his eye, nudging his cheek softly. “Bo. Please look at me.”

Bodhi rubbed at his eyes, sitting up to comply. He wouldn't meet Cassian's eyes, instead staring at his folded hands resting on his knees.

“Bo. Bodhi Rook. I could never hate you. I love you.” He slowly tilted his chin up, leaning over to brush a kiss against his lips. “I do. I've loved you for so long. You've seen me at my worst and you stuck around. I'm not going anywhere. If you're ashamed to introduce me to your parents—”

“I'm not ashamed! I've never been ashamed of you! Don't ever think that again!” His eyes flared as he huffed in anger.

Cassian drew back, face carefully blank again as he studied Bodhi as he struggled to hold back tears. “Then please tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if I don't know what to do.”

Bodhi shook his head. “I don't—gah!” He dropped back onto the bed, heels of his hands pressed hard into his eyes. “I don't know how to explain any of this. It's just, every time I try and bring someone home, bring someone into this family, they run away. They tell me I'm crazy, that none of this is worth it. I don't want that to happen with you. I love you too much. I want you to meet my parents. I want them to like you. I want everything to be happy. I don't want to lose you.”

“You won't.”

“You don't know that.”

Cassian sighed. He settled beside Bodhi, taking his hand and holding it tightly. “Do you remember when we first started dating? How you let me take things slow? Slower than I should have? And do you remember the first time you stayed over? You asked which side of the bed you could have.”

“You told me you had to sleep closer to the door,” Bodhi whispered.

“You never once acted like that was a crazy request, even though it was. Whenever we go someplace, eat out, I have to have my back against a wall. I have to face the door. I can't stand anyone behind me. Doesn't matter if I know them or not. And yet, I love when you lay on top of me. I love when we're on the couch and you pin me down. I feel safe. And in this room? Having you at my back? It doesn't bother me. It makes me feel like I can keep you safe. You never once judged me for my quirks.”

“It's because they're not quirks, Cassian. Everything you do is because of something that has happened to you. It's how you cope. There's nothing wrong with that.”

“And there's nothing wrong with being nervous about your fiance meeting you parents for the first time. But automatically assuming I'm going to leave you just because they might be a little difficult? Not really showing much confidence in this relationship. Or me.”

“I'm sorry. I love you so much Cass.”

Cassian pushed himself up onto one arm to stare at Bodhi. “Be honest. Yes or no. Do you want me there tonight?”

“I always want you there. But only if—”

“No. No buts. Yes or no only.”

“Yes,” Bodhi answered firmly. “Definitely yes.”

Cassian smiled. He moved to cover Bodhi, humming a soft tune as Bodhi giggled. He brushed at his hair, eyes thoughtful.

“What are you thinking?” Bodhi asked, curious.

“That you owe me for making me worry about you. I think twenty kisses might make me feel a bit better.”

“Is that all?” Bodhi teased, arms coming up to wrap around his neck.

Cassian nodded, leaning in close. “It's a start at least.”

Bodhi pulled him in for a kiss, shivering as Cassian ran his hand up his side. They kept things slow, heat gradually building between them as Cassian grew more forceful. Bodhi sighed and pulled him closer, gasping as Cassian kissed below his ear. “Cass....”

“Hey, what did you ever do with that vibrator?” He laughed as Bodhi shoved him away, covering his face as he pummeled him with a pillow.

“Cassian!”

* * *

Bodhi was washing up the breakfast dishes when Cassian came out of the bedroom the next morning frowning at his phone. “What's wrong?” Bodhi asked.

Cassian shook his head and rubbed his face. “Group text. Something about the event this weekend. Sounds like something didn't get delivered yet and Ezra and Sabine are going to go pick it up. Baze isn't happy.”

“Hopefully everything will be okay.”

Cassian shrugged, reaching for his jacket. “It's Chirrut and Baze. They'll get it fixed. I'd better get going though. The sooner we're done the better.”

“You're still coming tonight, right?” Bodhi asked nervously.

“Yes. Can't scare me off that easily. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“No. I told Jyn I'd come by early to try and keep her from drinking too much. I'll take the bus.”

“Okay. See you at five. Want me to bring anything?”

“Just your handsome self.” Bodhi leaned in for a kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you too.” Cassian leaned in for one more, reluctantly pulling away to whistle to Kay. He jumped off the couch and trotted over, already in his vest; Bodhi had gotten him ready while he was getting dressed. “Hey, do you want to keep Kay with you? He might help.”

Bodhi shook his head. “Thank you, but he's your dog. And if things are as bad as they sound, you're going to need him. I'll be fine.”

Cassian nodded and leaned in for yet another kiss.

Bodhi locked the door after they left, sighing as he tidied up the already clean apartment. He was looking for something else to do when his phone buzzed. He smiled when he saw that it was a text from Cassian. 

He typed a quick response before deciding that today might be a good laundry day. Gathering up their dirty clothes, he tried not to think about what was coming. He also refused to think about how it could end.

* * *

“Jyn, I swear on everything I love that I will walk out of this apartment if you finish that bottle.”

Jyn glared at Bodhi, half empty vodka bottle clutched tightly in her hand. Bodhi held his ground, refusing to move as he glared back, holding his hand out. Huffing, she handed it over, crossing her arms as Bodhi put it away.

“You can't leave. You promised.”

“I can leave, I'm just not going to. Even though I want to.”

She turned toward the counter, glancing over the instructions Baze had given her. “You did talk to Cassian, right?”

“Yes, we talked,” Bodhi said, refusing to look at her. He carefully removed the covers of the pre-made dishes, setting them on the counter in order of which needed to be cooked first.

“He's late.”

Bodhi sighed and braced his hands on the tile, head hanging low. “There was a problem today. He said he'd be a little late, but he should be here in time for food.”

Jyn gently bumped her shoulder against his. “Don't let him get scared off. You've never been this happy with any of the others. I like him and if you ever tell him that I'll stab you.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes and smiled softly at her. “Jyn—”

He was interrupted by the doorbell. Jyn frowned. “They wouldn't.”

She stomped towards the door, a soldier rushing headlong into battle while Bodhi continued to aimlessly shuffle the food around. He heard the locks rattling, nervously reaching for his phone to check without hope to see if he had missed a text from Cassian. His screen, free of notifications, taunted him. He heard Jyn greet their parents and, shoulders pulled back, he hurried out to join her.

“Hello, hello.” He allowed Lyra to pull him into a tight hug, turning toward Galen after. Jyn had retreated to the kitchen leaving him to fend for himself.

“Bodhi, it's good to see you. It's been entirely too long,” Lyra said, brushing at his hair. “You let your hair grow out.”

“It's been long for a while, mum,” he muttered, ducking his head.

“Don't mumble,” she scolded. She scowled toward the kitchen, the sounds of pans banging around growing louder. “What on earth is your sister up to?”

“Jyn's just being Jyn,” Galen said, already pulling a notebook from his pocket.

“Thanks, I guess,” Jyn said as she returned, ushering everyone towards the sitting area. “And you two are early,” she accused, dropping with a frown onto a chair in the corner.

“Forgot to reset the time.” Galen made a vague gesture toward the phone currently balanced on his knee, eyes locked on the calculations he was typing out.

Lyra rolled her eyes. “We were in the neighborhood and it was easier to just come by. Is it going to be a problem?”

Jyn gave her a bland smile. “Well, I had planned for eating around seven so nothing is ready yet. Even though it's pre-made, it's going to take a while to heat.”

Galen glanced up with a frown. “I thought you were a chef?”

“Manager. I've told you this before. I oversee a restaurant, make sure it's running smoothly, deal with the hiring of staff, and listen to rude entitled rich wankers complain when there aren't enough capers in their dish. Or too many capers. Or that capers shouldn't exist.”

“Don't be rude,” Lyra scolded. “Besides, this will give us more time to visit.”

“Oh joy.” Jyn stood up.

“Where are you going?” Bodhi asked, eyes wide.

“To get several drinks. Anyone else want one?”

“Beer,” Galen said.

“If you have any wine, I'll take that. Otherwise, coffee will do.” Lyra waited until Jyn left to turn to Bodhi. “How have you been? You hardly ever call anymore.”

“No, no. I call quite often. You just never answer your phone,” Bodhi said, pointing at her. “I also send texts and emails, so it's not my fault if you feel neglected.”

“It's rude to point.” Lyra accepted the glass from Jyn, ignoring the bottle she had tucked under her arm. She patted the cushion next to her. “Sit down, Bodhi. By the way, where is this fiance I've heard so very little about?”

“You've heard everything, mum. I've kept nothing secret. And he's still at work,” Bodhi said with a sigh.

“What does he do again?” Galen asked, distracted by his figures.

“He works for a private catering company. Mostly behind the scenes stuff, prep work, things like that. Jyn knows him. They went to school together.” Bodhi shot her a “help me” look.

Jyn set her bottle down and nodded. “We did. I tried for a while to get Bodhi to go out with him too, but he never listened to me.”

“You never told me his name,” Bodhi argued. “You just kept saying there was a cute guy in one of your classes. That tells me nothing.”

“Is that the ring?” Lyra asked, pointing at Bodhi's hand. He held it out for her to look closer, smiling as he watched the light reflect off the silver. Lyra lifted his hand higher to study it. “That's an interesting design. Any reason for it?”

“It was Cassian's stepmothers. She adopted him and raised him. I got to meet her once. She was pretty amazing.”

Lyra hummed noncommittally and turned toward Jyn. “And when are you going to settle down?”

“Never if I can help it.”

“Good girl,” Galen mumbled, pencil scribbling away furiously. Lyra glared at him but said nothing.

“What'cha working on this time, dad?” Jyn asked, trying to change the subject.

Galen launched into a long explanation. After a while, Bodhi excused himself to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face; the refreshing feeling helped calm his anxiety a bit. He almost wished he had taken Cassian up on his offer. He rarely relied on Kay, but there had been many instances over the years where the dog had worked his magic on him. He pulled a small case from his pocket, the lone pill in it clacking lightly against the plastic. He found a glass left behind on the counter; filling it with water, he swallowed it quickly. It had been a long time since he had felt the need to take his medication on a day he wasn't working. He glanced over his phone again, wishing more than anything that there was a text waiting for him. Sighing, he squared his shoulders and opened the door.

* * *

“Still not here?” Galen asked as Jyn brought the food out. Bodhi held in his sigh, shaking his head briskly. Galen nodded, humming as he headed for the table. “And is this normal? Does this Caspian person—”

“Cassian, dad.”

“Sorry. Cassian. Is he normally so late?”

“I told you, he had a problem at work. He'll be here soon.”

Galen clapped him on the shoulder and pulled out a chair. Bodhi waited until Lyra was sitting to choose a seat across from them. Jyn sat at the head, her back to the kitchen, ever prevalent bottle on the sideboard within her reach.

“Everyone get started. No sense in waiting.”

Bodhi sighed. He was reaching for the first bowl when his phone chimed. His stomach flipped as he read Cassian's text. 

“Good news, dear?” Lyra asked, watching him carefully.

Clearing his throat, Bodhi stared dishing up his food. “Cassian's on his way.”

“Tell him to park behind my car. He still has that pass I gave him, right?”

“He does.” He kept his head down, refusing to acknowledge Lyra trying to catch his eye. He picked at his salad, pretending to be interested in the story Galen had launched into, but truth be told he felt as lost as Jyn looked. Galen tended to ramble and mix together several stories that were not related in the least. Jyn was reaching for her drink again, eyes glazed when Lyra cleared her throat.

“Don't you think you've had enough, dear?” she asked, a disapproving edge to her voice.

“Not really.”

“Jyn...”

“Look, mother, I am a grown adult and if I want to destroy my liver then so be it.”

Bodhi had never been more happy to hear the doorbell. He jumped to his feet and raced to the door. He didn't bother to check, almost ready to welcome an ax murderer in at this point. He broke into a watery smile as he saw Cassian standing outside, box in hand.

“Fuck, Bodhi, I am so sorry,” he started, cutting off as Bodhi launched himself into his arms. He juggled the box, managing to save it as he wrapped one arm around his waist.

“Don't be sorry,” Bodhi said, reluctantly releasing him so they could walk inside. He rubbed Kay's ears when he pressed against him with a whine; he waited for Cassian to set the box down before pulling him in for a kiss. “Is everything okay? Did you guys fix the problem?”

“Mostly. Ezra and Sabine are going in early tomorrow to finish it. Chirrut was on the phone when I left, yelling at the bride. Apparently she decided at the last minute to change everything she had ordered. Mind you, that was after we had to do the emergency pickup.” He brushed at Bodhi's hair, eyes dark with worry. “Are you alright?”

Bodhi opened his mouth, freezing when he heard a sound behind him. He turned to find Lyra standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest. “Everything alright here?”

“Ah, yes. Mum, this is Cassian. And Kay.”

Lyra looked him over before nodding her head. “We've already started eating. If you feel like joining us?”

Cassian glanced at Bodhi, frowning slightly. “Yes, sorry I was so late. It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Erso.”

Lyra tipped her head and returned to her seat. Bodhi kept his eyes down as he followed, hand holding tight to Cassian's.

Cassian hesitated as he walked into the dining room, raising an eyebrow at Jyn as she saluted him with her glass. “About time, Andor. Welcome to the insane asylum.”

“Jyn, you are not funny,” Lyra scolded, scowling at her daughter. She waited until Cassian was sitting to resume her meal. “So, Cassian. Bodhi told us that you had an issue at work today and that's why you are so late.”

Cassian glanced toward Bodhi, who was staring at his food without touching it. He cleared his throat and reached for the closest bowl. “Yes, we had several problems in fact. We're catering a wedding this weekend. Very formal affair. Some of our deliveries didn't come in on time, and so we had to go get them, which meant having to rush the prep work for everything. And then in the middle of that, the bride calls up, screaming about how she didn't want what she had originally ordered because someone she knew was planning similar dishes for a dinner party and she wanted a whole new menu.”

Jyn snorted into her glass, eyes bright. “Bet Baze loved that one.”

Cassian sighed. “I've seen him angry before, but not this bad. He looked ready to murder something. Chirrut told him to calm down and start making whatever he wanted. He called the wedding planner, told her that they would be willing to change it but she only had the following options. She agreed, apologized profusely, we got back on track and were nearly done when the bride called again, screaming about how she had been informed that she was being charged double for the food, plus an extra fee on top of that and how that wasn't fair. Guess she didn't read her contract clearly enough. So Baze told us to stop and sent us home. Chirrut was having fun with her when I left. I definitely heard a few choice names coming out of his office.” He chuckled, sounding tired as he reached for Bodhi's hand. “It was a nightmare.”

“Are you going in tomorrow?” he asked.

“For a few hours. We'll see how much we finish before we have to deliver everything for the rehearsal.”

“Bet you're getting a nice bonus for this,” Jyn said. “Bridezilla better be happy Baze didn't just cancel. He usually would.”

“He wanted to, but Chirrut told him no. This was the last big event they were planning for a while. They're going next week to finalize their foster care paperwork.” He nodded toward Galen and Lyra. “This really wasn't how I planned to meet you for the first time.”

“First impressions are certainly lacking,” Galen said, eyeing Cassian's stained t-shirt.

“Dad,” Bodhi growled, hand tightening.

“Bodhi, show your father some respect,” Lyra said. She had been studying Cassian the entire time, eyes cold. “I do find it interesting that this is the first time we're meeting you. You two have been together for a while. Might I ask, just what are your intentions towards our son?”

Cassian was taken aback. He blinked, puzzled as to her meaning. “Intentions? I'm not sure what you mean. I love Bodhi and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. That's why I asked him to marry me. I'm sorry that we haven't met before, but travel can be hard with Kay.”

“Do you take your pet everywhere with you?” Galen asked, frowning.

“Dad, he's not a pet. He's a service dog,” Bodhi said, face flushing.

“Kay is actually an emotional support animal. Not quite a true service dog, at least not by definition. My brother trains dogs, and he thought having Kay around would help me after I left the service. He has a certificate, but he's never been through a full training course.”

“And what exactly is he for, then?”

“Anxiety, mostly,” Cassian said, picking at his food, eyes downcast. He swallowed before continuing, drawing back his shoulders. “PTSD, nightmares. He helps me feel safe.”

Lyra's eyes were hard to read. “Is it safe for my son to be around you?”

“Mum! That's enough!” Bodhi yelled, slamming his hands down on the table. He was breathing hard, face bright red as he glared at her. “I will not sit here and let you insult Cassian. I've already gone over this with you. What you are saying right now is completely inappropriate!”

“Bodhi Rook, you will not speak to you mother that way,” Galen admonished, voice cold.

“I'm not sure I trust you around my son. Not if this is how he's going to react to a simple little question.” Lyra sniffed and looked away.

Bodhi stood up, throwing his napkin down. “You are some of the most horrible people I've ever had to deal with. I fucking hate all of you!” He rushed from the room, ignoring Cassian calling his name frantically. He wiped the tears from his eyes as he slammed the door of Jyn's spare bedroom; his former room was just as he had left it after moving in with Cassian. He dropped onto the generic bedspread Jyn had bought, head in his hands as he started to sob. He wished he had never agreed to come tonight. In just a few short minutes, his parents had managed to ruin the one good relationship he had ever had. There was no way that Cassian would want to stick around after that; he didn't deserve to be insulted and Bodhi hadn't helped at all. He wished he had spoken up more, defended him better but he had frozen until he couldn't hold in his rage.

He didn't know how long he had sat there, tears slowly running down his raw face. He covered his mouth and nose, sniffing. He closed his eyes at the small knock on the door, not ready to face the aftermath of everything.

“Bodhi?” he heard Lyra say, voice gentle. “May I please come in?”

Bodhi didn't answer, knowing that it wouldn't matter even if he did. Lyra opened the door slowly, sighing as she saw him. “Oh, my poor sweet boy.” She sat next to him and pulled him tight into her arms. “I'm so sorry, Bodhi. I never meant to upset you.”

“Then why would you say all that? Why do you hate anything that makes me happy?”

“Bodhi, I don't hate that. I'm your mother, at least partly. I've only ever wanted you to be happy. I never wanted to see you get hurt.”

Bodhi laughed harshly, wanting to jerk away but not finding the strength to fight. “Then why do you always do this? Every boy I've ever dated, you've found some way to drive off. It's like you don't think anyone will ever be good enough for me.”

“Bodhi Rook, you look at me.” She caught his chin and turned him to face her. “You are my son. No one is ever—and I do mean ever—going to be good enough for you in my eyes. Same with Jyn. I've tried so hard to protect you two, to keep away those who only want to use you. Look at what happened with that Tim fellow.”

“Todd,” he whispered, wiping at his cheek.

“He doesn't deserve for me to remember his name correctly,” Lyra said, voice cold. She squeezed his shoulders tighter. “I don't want to see you get hurt like that again.”

“Cassian's not like that, mum. He's an amazing person. He loves me more than anyone else ever has.”

“Even me?”

He sighed and closed his eyes. “Different from you. He's not required to love me. You have to. You're my mum.”

She gave a little laugh, leaning her head on his. “Sometimes you two made that very difficult while growing up. Remember the fights you and Jyn used to have? Now tell me,why do you love Cassian so much?”

“Because he's perfect.”

“That's not an answer and you know it.”

Bodhi wanted to argue but he thought about her words. His mother would never back down if he only said things a child would say. He leaned against her, debating his words. “Cassian...Cassian is stronger than anyone I know. He's been through so much, and yet he was still willing to open up to me. He always thinks about my needs first, makes sure that wherever we go, that there is something I can eat. He's never questioned it, even when it means we have to change our plans. He listened to me when I told him about my memory problems. And you know what he did? He asked what he could do to help. No one else ever did that. He's willing to put up with a million little notes everywhere, the constant notifications on my phone, my alarms. He's never once complained. He sends me texts sometimes if he thinks I might have forgotten. No matter what kind of day he's having, he still puts me first. No ones ever done that before.”

He paused, biting his lip. “Before we started dating, he had an...incident. At work. He was helping at an event because his bosses were short staffed. He had a panic attack. No one but Kay could get near him. They called me, apparently I was the person he asked for. And he let me sit with him and talk him down. He trusted me enough to let me get close when he was that vulnerable. That takes a lot of courage.”

He looked at his ring, smiling forming. “He gave me something that meant the world to him. He's loved me no matter what has happened and, yes, things haven't always been perfect, but he's always tried his best to make things so. And so, whether you two approve of him or not, this is what I want. I want Cassian, and if it means losing my family, I would be willing to let that happen.”

Lyra pulled back, face blank as she studied him. “You would give us up just to marry this man?”

Bodhi nodded. “Yes. I've thought about this a lot over the years. I've never fought for anything before but I will fight to keep Cassian. Even if you hate me for the rest of my life.”

Lyra smiled and took his hand. “About damn time you started standing up for yourself. I was beginning to think I hadn't taught you properly. And I'm glad that it's over Cassian. That boy truly loves you. I can't wait for him to join our family.”

Bodhi's mouth dropped open. “What the actual fuck mother? You suddenly like him? After all that shit out there?”

“Watch your language, young man.” She laughed at his expression. “I know we were extremely mean to him before. But I had to know just how he felt about you. Do you know what he told us, after you stormed out like a petulance child? That, no matter what we could say, he loved you beyond anything. That he would do anything not to see you get hurt. He said that if you asked it, he would stay away. He didn't want to come between you and your family, that he would do whatever it took to keep a relationship going between us. And he did it without throwing a fit. He wanted to come after you, but I wouldn't let him. I needed to talk to you alone first.”

Bodhi shook his head. “You're horrible.”

“No, I'm a mother. So, when's the date?”

“Oh my god! You—!” He started laughing, even as his tears returned. “So, you didn't scare him away?”

“Why don't you go see for yourself? Because I'm pretty sure he could use a hug from you right now.”

Bodhi hugged her before jumping up. He wiped his face off as best he could as he stepped into the hallway, grinning as he saw Cassian lingering by the end. He ran into his arms, kissing him deeply as Cassian caught him. “I love you so much.”

Cassian slumped against him, holding him tight. “I told you I wasn't going anywhere.”

“I'm sorry for everything they said, they didn't need to be so mean—”

“Bodhi, it's okay. We had a long talk. Your parents explained everything. And while it wasn't the most comfortable experience of my life, it's probably for the best. Gets things out in the open, right?” He gave a shaky laugh as Kay nudged against their legs. “I mean, my brother and his wife said a lot of crap to you at first.”

“Mostly just innuendos to see if I'd blush. They never tried to chase me off.”

“Yeah, well, didn't work, did it?”

“I'm really glad. I do love you.”

“I love you too.”

Jyn cleared her throat, appearing behind Cassian. “If you two will stop being so sickeningly sweet in my hallway, can we get to dessert?”

Bodhi rolled his eyes at her as they pulled apart. “How do you not have cavities?”

“Same way I don't have liver failure. I'm invincible.”

Cassian snorted as he went to fetch the box. Jyn had already stacked plates in the living room and was returning with a pot of coffee. Bodhi settled on a couch, Kay pressed against his legs as Lyra joined Galen across from him.

“That's a nice looking dog. I didn't think pit bulls were usually used for service animals.”

“Kay isn't a pit bull. He's a weird mix, some kind of mutt we can't really identify. And he's a total softie, aren't you.” Bodhi laughed as Kay rumbled at him, snorting as he settled on his feet. “He's actually how we met. I needed a table to study at and Kay and Cassian were the only ones that let me join them.”

“No one had ever asked to sit with me before,” Cassian said, setting the box on the coffee table.

“Yeah, well, Kay used to stare everyone else down. People were too intimidated to get close,” Jyn said, handing over a knife. “Why do you think no one ever got close to you in our classes.”

“Really?” Cassian looked stunned as he opened the box. “Kay?”

“I mean, he was pretty big,” Bodhi said. “But he didn't react when I walked up, other than to glare at me. I figured your reaction was more important.”

“Well, I'm very glad he didn't drive you off.” He carefully lifted the cake from it's box, setting it on the platter.

Galen's eyes widened. “That thing must have cost a fortune,” he said, taking in the carefully tinted and swirled frosting, the delicate chocolate curls, and the sugar glazed berries on top.

Cassian shrugged. “If Baze had made it, then probably yes. I made this one, so it's a lot simpler.”

Lyra was eyeing the lace pattern piped onto the side. “This is simple?”

“Cassian makes the best food I've ever had,” Bodhi said, feeling proud for his fiance.

“Cassian, I'll make you a proposal. If Bodhi decides not to marry you, you can come live with Lyra and I. I'll even divorce her if you want.” Galen jumped as she swatted at him, eyes bright.

Coughing slightly, unsure of what to say, Cassian glance at Bodhi, blushing.

“I told you they were horrible people.”

Jyn held a plate out. “Less talking, more eating!”

Bodhi couldn't stop smiling as the plates were passed around and Cassian blushed brighter from the praise. He snuggled close to him once he sat down, digging in to his own piece. He sighed in pleasure as he tasted the chocolate ganache between the moist layers. Cassian leaned in close. “I made it specifically for you. I figured you'd need the chocolate after tonight.”

“Stop being perfect,” Bodhi teased, kissing him.

“So, Cassian?” Galen asked. “Have you two given any thought as to when your wedding is going to be?”

“Yes,” Lyra said, pulling out her phone. “We need to set a date soon. There are a few projects we'll need to work around, so they sooner we start planning things the better. Were you thinking about getting married in San Francisco or maybe having it be a destination wedding? And what time of the year? Outdoor weddings can be quite lovely.”

“Do I still have a suit?” Galen asked her, reaching for another slice.

“Knowing you, you don't,” Lyra said, making a note. “Is there going to be a color theme or can people wear whatever?”

Jyn started to laugh as Cassian choked on his cake. “Oh, I'm so glad it's you and not me.”

Bodhi sighed and buried his face in Cassian's shoulder. He was never going to win with this family and he knew it. “Mum. Dad. Now is not the time, please.”

“Oh Bodhi, if not now then when? Don't put off planning until the last minute.”

Cassian glanced nervously at Bodhi, licking his lips. “We, uh...we haven't really discussed anything yet. We just got engaged and things have been a little hectic, so...”

“What about March? That's only a few months away. Think the weather will be nice then?” Lyra asked, looking at the calendar on her phone.

“Mum, no. Give us some time, alright? I promise I'll give you plenty of warnings, okay?” Bodhi pleaded.

Lyra sighed but backed off.

“So...” Jyn said, trying to change the subject. “Baze and Chirrut finally made up their minds then?”

“Nope,” Cassian said, shaking his head. “They've been arguing about it all this time. Chirrut couldn't decide who he wanted so Baze got fed up and tried to convince him they should just take them both.”

“So they're getting two kids?”

“Sounds like it. Baze had a good point. They have plenty of room and money isn't an issue, so why not. Besides, it seems as if these two are pretty close, so it might be better. Both had pretty bad childhoods.”

“Sounds like most of us,” Jyn muttered, dodging Lyra's swat. “Kind of proving my point mum.”

“The agency just wants them to foster at first. Something about these two being sent back before for causing problems. If things are still going smoothly in a few months then they'll reopen the adoption file. Sounds like whosoever in charge doesn't believe they can handle it.”

“That's silly,” Bodhi said.

Cassian shrugged. “Yeah, well, there's a lot of kids in foster care right now that get lost in the shuffle. This might actually be good for everyone. They plan to close up everything but the bakery for a few weeks until things get settled.”

“So you'll have some free time?” Bodhi asked hopefully.

“Most likely.”

“Maybe we can take a day trip or something, maybe go up the coast a bit.”

“I could ask Orson to give you some time off,” Galen said. He shrugged. “We're meeting up tomorrow after all.”

“You're meeting up,” Lyra said. “I will be doing other things. Still can't stand that man.”

“Lyra, at some point you need to get over that.”

“I have to do no such thing.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. It seemed as if the same argument was going to occur forever.

They gradually moved on in their small talk. Before long, they were laughing, the stress of earlier fading away into bad memories. Lyra kept asking Cassian for more stories from work, shaking her head at some of the crazier situations that had happened. “I believe every word of it,” she said, as Jyn and Bodhi gathered up the plates to take to the kitchen. “Some of the fundraising dinners we've attended have been just as bad.”

Cassian smiled. “Thankfully, I don't have to actually work too many of them. Baze hired extra staff for that.”

“He seems like a wonderful boss.”

“Couldn't have asked for a better one. If he hadn't have made me go to school, I never would have met Bodhi.” He dropped his head, shrugging. “I'd probably be in a much worse place right now.”

Lyra leaned over and took his hand. “I am sorry about earlier. I just had to be sure that Bodhi would be safe. There have been quite a few people in his past that have tried to take advantage of him, especially... Has he told you about his parents?”

“He told me that they died, but he doesn't remember much.”

Nodding, Lyra sighed. “He's blocked most of it, through the injuries he suffered have caused him a lot of problems. He used to forget who we were. It happened a lot in the beginning. And then with the seizures...well, you understand why I worry.”

“It...” Cassian hesitated, biting his lip. “It scared me the first time he had one. I didn't know what to do. So I read up on it. I want to help him as much as possible, if I can.”

“Good boy.” Lyra smiled. She and Galen exchanged a look. “Talk to Bodhi someday about his family. There's nothing bad there, I promise you. Just...have Jyn with you when you do. She knows more than he does. I think it will help you to understand some of why he is the way he is.”

“And why you're so concerned?”

“Smart, too,” Galen said. “I like this one.”

“We'll help in any way we can. Don't worry about the cost for this wedding, we'll pay for everything. Heavens knows Jyn will never get married.” Lyra leaned back. “Now what about your family? I'd love to meet them before the wedding. They seem lovely from what Bodhi's told me.”

Cassian smiled as Bodhi peeked in on them. “I'd love for you to meet them. Family is important to both of us, even the ones we find ourselves. Even if it is a bit broken, sometimes that winds up being the best kind.” He ruffled Kay's ears. He was beginning to believe that too.

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been sitting on my laptop for almost a year now. It's gone through several editing sessions, as well as thoughts of moving it farther back in the series. It's finally where it needs to be. Hopefully it won't take as long to get the next part up.
> 
> Poor Bodhi basically has one long panic attack, though he doesn't realize it. Meeting the parents is never easy, and I feel like I made Lyra and Galen unnecessarily mean. I swear there's a reason for that. It'll show up later on.
> 
> For now, rest assure that the boys will be okay. Please enjoy as they learn to communicate with each other better.


End file.
